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Article Title: Extent of Integrating Practical Work in the Teaching of Chemistry at Advanced level: A case of Gweru District High Schools
by Jacob Tito Ngwenya

Abstract:
This study evaluated the extent of integrating practical work with theory in the teaching of Advanced level chemistry in Gweru district public high schools in Zimbabwe. To guide this study four research questions were raised and answered. The study employed a descriptive survey design and used two instruments namely interviews and class observations to collect data from all the 14 public high schools in the district. 15 Advanced level chemistry teachers participated in the study. The study established that the frequency of integrating practical activities in theory classes is very low. The factors that the teachers raised, and that the researcher observed that prevent teachers from doing practical activities in their lessons include overloaded curriculum content, inadequate time for teaching chemistry, inadequate resources, insufficient funding from the schools� administration, lack of support staff to assist with the preparation of chemicals, behavior of students and lack of motivation on the part of the teachers. From the class observations and teacher interviews, the researcher noted that integrating practical work in the chemistry classroom, improves students� motivation and attitude towards chemistry, increases teacher-students interaction and engages students more in the learning process. Based on these results, the study recommends the in servicing of chemistry teachers to give them skills on how to integrate practical work when teaching, increase the budget for science subjects, and that the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education should assist schools with the necessary infrastructure and enabling environment to enable the teaching of chemistry and other science subjects thrive.

Keywords: Integration, Practical work, Teaching, Chemistry.

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